


Keep a Secret

by sunlitflowers



Series: Movie AU Series [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Office Relationship, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Slow Burn, inspired by the proposal (movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-12 14:34:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7109419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunlitflowers/pseuds/sunlitflowers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle truly should have never been hired to work at Gold Incorporated. Even as an assistant she was drastically under-qualified. Working in trades took too much time out of reading her books than she'd like. The job was posted shortly after a fight with her father. A miracle happened and for the next three years she was side by side with one of the most powerful men in business.</p><p>One day, the law caught wind that Belle never became a legal citizen of America and threaten to deport her back to Australia. Overhearing this, Mr Gold is quick to come up with a plan he knows he soon will regret.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Zero

Three years ago Belle’s library was in ashes after a few kids learned about the relationship between the sun and a magnifying glass. Their beams hit a wire, when they were aiming for a book, and everything went in a slow motion after that. She stood at the corner of the street coming back from lunch and watched her most loved possession collapse. She had no voice to call the fire department and was later thankful for whoever had. Belle wanted to collapse on the sidewalk until a fireman came around and gathered her up after finding out she was over the entire thing. It wasn't until a few days later that she even questioned if the kids were alright. They had come to her house to apologize, but she wasn't there. Her father Moe accepted the basket of backed goods on her behalf and claimed everything was fine. He tossed out what he didn’t eat before she retrieved a crumb.

Reviving the building wasn’t exactly a choice of Belle’s. They’d given her compensation for her time working it by herself, but not enough. It being a public library and only stayed open due to donations and government funding, it was best for the town that they just cleaned up the ashes and left the land alone. Her chest tightened and twisted upon hearing that it was going to be turned into a parking lot. Mr Gold of the American company Gold Incorporated had put up one of his stores next door. People were always complaining about having no place to park. A win-win for both parties. Her father agreed the new space was best for the city.

“You’re being unreasonable, Belle. You’ll find work that actually pays.” Moe waved a dismissive hand at her. Unwittingly fanning the flames, as she was on the verge of tears she was so angry. 

“Is my getting a real job what this is about?” Belle was incredulous. Her father hadn’t ever been supportive, but he wasn’t this vocally obvious about it. A scoff here and there when he was listening to her talk about the new books they got in and nothing more. That she could handle. Not this.

“As if you could get one. Your nose is always in books, but not one that has taught you how the real world works.” He appeared to regret it at the almost instant. She didn’t care. That was the push she needed. 

Belle left the house and went down to the employment agency. She spoke to a nice gentleman at the front desk who had been whistling Christmas tunes when she walked in. She signed her name in and went into the smaller room where job listings were sitting in three ring binders. She wasn’t too surprised to see her dearest friend Ruby scribbling all over an application. Ruby and her Granny had disagreements more often than they didn’t. Belle never thought Ruby would actually leave the diner and was just keeping some options open. Ruby took a break from writing her name to see who had just joined her. 

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Ruby greeted with the brightest and friendliest of smiles. Belle gave a more gentle retelling of what had happened with her father. No matter how it was spun, Ruby always had bad vibes about Mr French. 

“If you need a place to stay, you can crash at Granny’s and I’ll take your place.” Ruby offered with a nudge to Belle’s shoulder.

“Deal.” Belle grinned and reached for the nearest binder. “For now, let’s get try to get to work.”

Every single application that didn’t seem far out of her purview required a degree. University had been her dream since she had found out getting further education from books was a thing. It didn’t take much convincing from her mother that it was a good idea. She studied so hard Ruby almost became her personal sleeping-medication dealer. Belle hardly went lower than all perfect marks and maintained the best relationship with her teachers as she could to have their recommendations. Her castles were constructed of maps for walls and books as the foundation. She wanted to go to Oxford just for Bodleian. Her father said once sentence that scared her from leaving. That being her one regret and wanting to get out of this city, she looked in the travel section.

“How are you ladies doing?” Returned the man from the desk to pin something on the cork board. Belle got up to investigate. Gold Incorporated was looking for a new intern. That was the kind of person Maurice wanted her to be. Showing that she had all the power to excel in business just the same as her library would be the best kind of revenge.

“Just fine, Archie.” Ruby answered, still cheerful about his appearance.

“Good. I’m right out here if you need anything.” 

“What can you tell me about this?” 

“Interviews are tomorrow at nine in the morning and they’re only taking one to America. Two other people hired will stay here and manage the new Gold shop.” Belle chewed her bottom lip in thought. “I don’t recommend it.” 

“Why? Because I’ve never worked in business?” 

“No! Not at all. I just get more people in here with Gold as a former boss than any other thing. Nobody has lasted more than three months working so close to him. They all quit.” Archie explained, no hesitating in putting it up at all.

“He doesn’t reside here, though. How do they know him?”

“There’s a Gold shop in Melbourne. No construction workers would build it for him, but it just rose from the ground one day like magic.” 

“I think you should do it.” Ruby encouraged. She handed Archie her latest applications for him to send them off to their respected places. “If anybody deserves out of here, it’s you. Come on, I’ll help you with your resume.”

Just like in high school, Ruby and Belle worked together to help Belle get to where she wanted to be. They practiced general interview questions that helped her answer whatever she could with focus on the positives of her work ethic. She was dedicated and would do what it took to get any job done that was thrown at her. She had gotten the library up and running in the first place at just eighteen years old and took care of the building until she was unable to. She didn’t go to university so she could look over her father (not a lie) and managed his floral shop in the meantime (not entirely a lie). Ruby wanted to put down Granny’s diner as a reference, but Belle wouldn’t let her. They had stretched her accomplishments enough. 

Belle stayed in Ruby’s hotel room that night so they could decide the perfect outfit to wear. Gold Incorporated was a trading business, but Mr Gold was never seen not wearing the finest threads on his person. They didn’t know if he would be there. Whoever was doing the interview would be able to see her and tell that their boss would be mad not to hire her. They experimented with hair and makeup while mildly arguing over looking attractive or looking employable was more important. Especially considering going to America was on the line. Belle made a compromise which Ruby was more than thrilled with. 

Wearing a pencil skirt with a slight slit in the side hadn’t seemed like a terrible idea until she sat in the lobby of Gold Incorporated by herself. Belle kept fidgeting to pull it down and the collar of her shirt up which would slightly remove it from the empire waistline. It started bunching in the back that she knew looked terrible. She wished she would have taken the jacket, but Australia weather defied that idea. She began a debate within herself over comfort versus style. She would had rather smother than sit there another minute.

“Belle French?” Her name was finally called after three hours. Only four people had shown up. Three offers. Someone was going to be unhappy and she knew it was going to be her. 

There were three people sitting behind a table at one end of the room. Two men and one woman. Belle sat down at the small plastic chair at the center of the room, quite unsure of what to do exactly. She studied them for any sign that this was a good idea. The man with eyeliner all around his eyes paid as much attention to her as the woman in a clean cut pantsuit. The one in the middle, however, emitted power that matched and beat his accomplices. Mr Gold was dressed as well as she and Ruby had always seen, but looked somehow different here in the flesh. He was much older than anyone else in that room with gray melding with brown in his feathery hair. His eyes scanned her resume, brows creasing before he looked at her. She was about to get yelled at. She could see it. She could feel-

“You’re hired. We’ll leave for America tomorrow, Ms French.”


	2. the incomparable Mr Gold

Belle woke up still amazed to be living in America. Maine was beautiful and even though she’d like to have been in a big city, the small coastal town was a delight. Everybody knew everybody and, while her employer wasn’t the most well liked man, they had accepted her with such ease. She couldn’t say the same for both of Gold’s business partners. Regina Mills had been sour towards her since the flight and Jefferson was really finicky in being nice to her or not. Neither of them had a nice word to say about Mr Gold which made her question their loyalty. But they weren’t who she was working for. 

When she first started as his assistant, Regina had kept making her do coffee runs. Belle obliged thinking that was just part of what she had to do. She was late twice before Mr Gold threatened to fire her. Jefferson had, perhaps unintentionally she wasn’t sure, saved her job by coming in and asking if she got what Regina asked her to pick. Mr Gold then made it a notice Belle was only to answer to him. His partners had their assistants. His was to be left alone. Regina had claimed it was just a little harmless initiation, but hadn’t stopped making snide comments about Belle being a pet. 

Belle sighed hearing her phone ring. She had gotten up at five in the morning to have a little time to herself before going into work. Mr Gold seemed to have other ideas. He called for her to retrieve his dry cleaning, arrange an appointment with the California office, send a thoughtful birthday card to someone in Europe, and prepare the boardroom for a meeting at seven-thirty. She dressed and got to work as she always did when things looked a little bit tough. She watched people hired and quit within three months just as Archie had said. Not her. She was good at this, not that she knew how on earth. Her time management skills had been a lie, but she found someway to make everything work.

She decided to wait until Mr Gold was in the boardroom meeting before calling California so the time difference wasn’t too terrible. They always answered a call from Gold’s office, but she wanted to be gentle with that privilege. His partners were limited and she wanted to keep as many as she could at bay. He didn’t deserve to be yelled at for phoning in the middle of the night over important business details. Belle didn’t want people to be angry with him at all. He was intelligent and succeeded in every single trade detail since she’d been at his side. She stood in whenever he requested her attendance. Some of those she felt could be considered dates, but wouldn’t look too much into that.

Belle’s emotions for him were that of deep admiration. She walked out of setting up the meeting, arranging the drinks where they needed to go and making sure everyone would have a pen and paper and available space to charge laptops if needed. The only thing she and everybody saw was a disgruntled employee screaming at Mr Gold. She marched forward, her alliance towards him pushing her back. Regina and Jefferson were standing idly talking about other matters by Gold’s office. That they weren’t going to help him hurt her. This entire scenario was hurting her. 

“Alright, sir. It’s time to leave.” Belle grasped his arm and pushed him towards the elevator. 

“No!” He shook her off his arm. “He’s a spineless snake and deserves to be exterminated! You will die alone, Gold. You will deserve it for what you’re doing. This place would drown without me. You need me.” 

“Mr Jones, you overestimate your worth to me and this company.” Mr Gold assured, but there had been a crack in his features Belle was sure only she saw. She had never noticed him showing anything other than contempt for his employees including her. She looked behind them at the elevator opened and Sheriff Swan stepped out. Killian Jones sobered and let her cuff him.

“Do you want to press charges this time?” 

“Not when he’s just doing this to see you, dearie.”

“Shall I walk them out?” Belle offered. She usually did when Killian got unruly. Why he was still on the payroll she had no idea.

“You’re multitasking ability isn't good enough to leave the building and take notes in the meeting, Ms French.”

“Understood. I’ll be there momentarily.” He didn’t seem to mind as he went on towards the bathroom. She made her way into his office to call California.

Belle was in the middle of arranging his flight to Los Angeles, where one of the main Gold shops were, when Jefferson walked in looking for something. She placed her hand over the receiver while the man on the other end searched for the fax number to send their orders back to home base. 

“Everything okay?” 

“What? Yeah, just have you seen Gold? Just got a call in my office from someone wanting a meeting with him.” She furrowed her brows. Usually people went through her to achieve those things. She kept a great deal of enemies away from him by doing that or annoying them until they went away.

“He went towards the bathroom a moment ago.” 

“Ugh.” Jefferson rolled his eyes and extended a hand. “Here, I’ll talk to phone people while you go get him out of there.” Belle didn’t think twice on this order. She would much rather deal with whatever Mr Gold was going through right now than have people yelling at her for something she didn’t do or had any control over.

Belle walked out of the office and followed down the hallway whee she had seen Mr Gold retreat after the scene. She was thankful Emma Swan still wanted to come and take care of things. There was some kind of tense history between her, Mr Gold and Regina that Belle didn’t know about. None of them was exactly open enough to share. Not a lot of people liked Gold or Mills anyway, so she figured it had something to do with that. What her boss had done to this town that ostracized him like this, she had no clue. He was tough, but fair. He certainly helped her along once or twice in the past. They gave her an apartment to make the move easier from Australia. Gold made her an assistant instead of intern after three weeks after she made a comment on taking up another job for rent. She wanted to pay back the same kindness she’d seen in him.

She knocked twice before entertain the men’s room. She wondered why Mr Gold hadn’t gone to the one in his office, but didn’t have time to ponder. He was standing there gripping one of the sinks so hard his entire body was shaking. She stepped back realizing he hadn’t seen her just yet. He was angry over something. She recognized that feeling as one she had the day before leaving Australia. This was rage. Possibly not the most Mr Gold could feel, but definitely rough. The marble cracked and he released his hold before punching the towel dispenser. She moved away further seeing how busted it had gotten in the one hit. The man walked with a limp and a cane, she hadn’t expected him to be so…strong.

Belle decided against fanning the flames by asking what had upset him so much. She instead went to the boardroom with his laptop to take notes and check his emails. Reading always calmed her. Even if it was something as menial and tasking as Leroy wanting to sell his boat to Gold or Mary Margaret’s complaints on the state of the school building. Belle couldn’t do anything but delete them. There were a dozen hundred complaints from the citizens on Mr Gold’s character which she chose not to worry about. She knew he would help them. Not in the way they want him to or by not helping at all, but he would. He hadn’t spent all of his generosity on her. As she had enough to give him and almost everyone she came in contact with. She could make as much as she needed.

“Mr Gold, may I speak with you just a moment?” She requested once everyone filed out of the room. She noticed his hands had shown no signs of what happened in the bathroom. He looked at the door then back her without saying she couldn’t.

“I saw what happened in the bathroom. Jefferson asked me to go looking for you so you could start the meeting. Are you hurt?” That wasn’t the question she had intended, but it was the one to escape her mouth first. 

“No, dearie. Here,” He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a few bills from a wad of cash.

“I know not to tell. I don’t need a bribe.” 

“You’ll know when I’m bribing you. Go get us something to eat. I’m quite famished.” 

“It’s on me. I won’t belong, so call if you need anything?” Belle picked up the money and placed it back in his hands, folding the fingers down over it. She watched as his thumb pressed into the back of her hand for just a moment. 

“Leave. I have another appointment with some dangerous man, so take your time.” 

It was moments like that and when she was standing in a diner that wasn’t Granny’s when Belle actually missed home. She left everything behind because of what her father had done and lost contact with just about all of them. Ruby, who was still working in the diner as of two nights ago, still Skype’d with her every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. If she hadn’t Belle would have accidentally just never talked to her at all. Their conversations weren’t even that long, but Ruby had heard enough about Mr Gold to hate him. Apparently everyone in town did due to Ruby spreading what Belle said when angry and under a little bit of stress and a lot of alcohol. She loved her job and appreciated the opportunity and help Mr Gold had given her. She hadn’t had a day off to go back.

Belle picked up two burgers and two iced teas despite knowing Granny’s was absolutely superior. She mostly just wanted to see if he would eat it since she got it. She knew what he ate at every meal of the day. His tabs at restaurants were never not in the triple digit realm. Mr Gold lived a lavish life with the best view in town, he boasted. She needed to see if he would use his anger on her just for getting fast food. Like multiple decisions in her life, she regretted this one the moment she was standing in the elevator to go back to the office. 

“There you are, Ms French.” Regina greeted with an unnerving smile. “Why don’t you go ahead into Mr Gold’s office and enjoy that nice lunch you’ve brought?” 

Regina never believed anyone other than herself, Gold, and Jefferson should be allowed into their own offices. That she was encouraging it now should have been a red flag, but Belle thought nothing of it other than something courteous. Ms Mills must have had a nice day after this morning’s embarrassment. Belle smiled, thanked her though she wasn’t sure why, and weaved through the lines of cubicles. She set one bag on her desk, the closest one to his office, and knocked. Hearing gentle murmuring and thinking it was Gold on the phone, she opened the door.

“Ah! There’s my sweet fiance now. Hello, dearie.”


	3. the moment of truth

Belle had considered her feelings for Mr Gold exactly five times. The first was twenty seconds after she had gotten hired. He smiled at her, and she was no longer mortally terrified of sitting in an office room where she didn’t belong. Every single moment after that second, despite how much she absolutely hated this job in the beginning and some days now, he made her feel that way. By his side at every business trip, every single court date when someone took his help for granted. The second was in those court rooms watching him sit with all the poise he could muster. Like a well respected man. Third was dinner that night when he didn’t get drunk at all despite the celebration of a won case.

That was a little over two years ago and she buried the emotions deep into the depths of her soul. The only way these offices romances ever turned out was sex and-or heartbreak according to her books. While her subconscious wasn’t entirely opposed to the highlights of the idea, the parts of her that had to talk and face him the next morning did. When Mr Gold told her good mornings on the rarest of occasions and nobody was around, she would hide her face before he could see the blush. She would think of other things as he stood over her to read the email she was writing and his cologne was the only thing in her lungs. No feelings at all.

The fourth came about when he took her hands and held it a little too long. He had callouses on his hands from work back when he did everything by hand. Including sewing and making his own clothes. They were still soft somehow. And his nails were clean, which was surprising. One touch like that and it was a wonder she had completely forgotten how he’d busted his hand on the towel dispenser in the bathroom. Or that it might have been over what Killian had said. 

The fifth was this moment. Right here. Staring at her….fiance? 

“Fiance?” Belle asked, standing as still as she could possibly be. Mr Gold smiled and exchanged looks with the other man in the room before walking over and wrapping an arm around her waist. 

“Isn’t she just darling?” He held her close. She tried not to think of how well his body felt against hers. People always described it like being molded together, but this was something better than that. “Mr Nottingham and I were just discussing how absolutely amazing you are to keep the secret of our engagement.” 

“Oh, that.” Belle clicked together what he was doing. He needed her for something and like the dutiful person she was, she would go along with it.

“Do the parents know of this secret love?” Mr Nottingham asked them both, but looked at Belle. 

“We’re telling them-”

“Him . My father. No mom.” Belle finished to keep this mirage up. Of course Mr Gold wouldn’t know it was just her and Maurice since for as long as she could remember. Mr Gold held her just a little tighter.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Mr Nottingham expressed his condolences. There was something about the way he said that. It didn’t make her feel well. 

“This weekend we are going to Australia. Taking my sweetheart home to announce it.” He patted her cheek quite awkwardly that still seemed endearing. 

“You won’t have to worry about a thing, Mr Nottingham.”

Belle never really pieced together why in the world she needed to be Mr Gold’s fiance. She didn’t even know his first name and wasn’t entirely sure that he or anybody else did either. She didn’t want him to get in trouble, so she played along until Keith Nottingham left his office. Jefferson escorted him out of the rest of the building. Belle caught Regina looking pleased with herself before the doors shut on her. Mr Gold released his tight hold on her and walked over to his desk like nothing had just happened. She cautiously paced herself over to stand in front of him waiting for an explanation she wasn’t going to receive without the proper push.

“They are from immigration. We never got your green card and you were being deported back to Australia. Going with me to Manhattan didn’t help things.” 

“You were going to lose the blanket I couldn’t not-” She defended her work ethic, but he raised a hand for her not to finish.

“I don’t question your loyalty, Ms French. You’ve more than proved it these last three years. I will not let them take you away on a simple technicality.” Under the table where Belle couldn’t see he was clenching his fist. 

“We’re going to break the law so that I can stay as your employee, then?” Mr Gold placed his fine, fountain pen back in its hold on his desk to fully address her.

“They’re looking for terrorists, not you but that’s the sum of things, yes. Go pack your things for the weekend and mine as well.” He stood to toss her his apartment keys. “I’ll take care of the plane tickets.”

Belle’s feet moved without her completely acknowledging what just happened. She walked through the office building getting laughed at and asking if she was “really marrying it”. She scowled at those people and thought of something to say. There wasn’t anything really and that scared her. If she couldn’t explain this to people who were relatively strangers to her, how would she explain it back home? If this thing blew up, Mr Gold would be fined two hundred fifty thousand dollars and five years in federal prison. She was his best, only, and longest lasting assistant. People started doing business with him after Belle’s sweet nature became more prominent in contrast to Regina and Jefferson’s. He couldn’t afford to lose her.

Was her unintentional boost in business really what he couldn’t lose? Gold never boasted on Belle towards face. He was a magician with words the way they weaved around her body like a scarf he pulled from up his sleeve. He gave her plenty of reasons that should make her want to leave, she supposed. The decision right then as it seemed to be laid out in front of her showed to options. She could leave to Australia and never see Gold again, but would save him from a quarter million dollar fine and prison time. She would see the friends she hadn’t in three years. Gold could come to her if he wanted to see her again. Belle would pack this afternoon and use her last paycheck as a one way ticket home.

Of course, planned intentions were a cheap shot in a dive bar for her. She dug around in her purse for the key to her studio apartment that had a magnificent view of the library across the street. She never had gotten to go she’d been so busy running errands all over town. Belle thought of it second every morning she woke up. She would be able to after packing tonight. Telling Mr Gold about any of this didn’t feel possible. Until she saw what, presumably, he had done to her apartment. Her jaw unhinged, she felt terrible for ever leaving him at all. Right here before her was the man she saw.

There was an envelope in his unmistakable penmanship sitting on a silver tray near a bouquet of roses. Few red and some had been bronzed, but painted gold. Belle smiled and fought back emotional tears both joyous elation and heartbreak on what to do. She went into her desk and retrieved the letter opener. Ripping the delegate thing apart was easy as was getting the contents out. She smiled at the wax seal stamp in a calligraphy style R. He must have used Regina’s to make it old fashioned looking, she thought. Belle’s heart awoke reading the words.

_Dear Ms French:_

_You are the most well worked assistant I could possibly ask for. It is with no doubt that I won’t see you tomorrow at the airport to act as my fiance. I could not blame you in the slightest, but at least you’ll be safe away from the laws here. The flowers and this letter are my parting gift. I do wish that you enjoy them and remember your time with Gold Incorporated as it will you. I hope you don’t reflect on the beastly Mr Gold with too much animosity. You were and are a kind soul, Ms French. You will find work that you love._

_Farewell._


	4. golden books

“Hello.” Mr Gold answered his phone after Belle had called the line direct to his office. She straightened her back to get deep breaths in while fiddling with her other hand.

“What time are we leaving tomorrow?” There was a pause on the other line.

“Well, they’re fourteen hours ahead. Would you like to arrive in the morning or afternoon?” Belle looked at the clock on her nightstand. He would be getting off work within the hour. She wondered if he would-

“-meet at the restaurant near my apartment to discuss further?” The question left her mouth before she could stop it.

“If you’re hungry that is fine.”

“Are you?

“Are you?” It was Belle’s turn to pause as he asked her the same question. She truly just wanted to be alone with him in a normal situation. She wasn’t hungry at all, first.

“Where else did you have in mind?” 

Belle actually almost cried when he asked if she wanted to go to the city library with him. Already dressed for her dinner at the restaurant, she had to force herself not to run down the apartment stairwell and pole vault into the building. She could get a library card while there and get whatever books she wanted to take with her this weekend. Making time for reading slowly grew to the top of her list. Going home to introduce her…Mr Gold to everyone would be stressful and there was only one cure. That her teacup couldn’t be sipped from to sit and read by the window was a shame. Mr Gold had it in his possession to get it fixed, but she felt she wouldn’t see it ever again. He was a busy man. 

She used all of her restrain to not go on inside when he hadn’t arrived yet. After waiting what she swore were hours, she strolled in through the giant doors. This library had once been a Catholic church before it was condemned due to faulty rafters. The priest left before anyone could fix it. Mary Margaret had wanted a library for her students to do their at home studies. This was the one and only request in Belle’s three years that Mr Gold allowed to pass into fruition. She was now standing in the most beautiful building in the town and began to tear up. 

She clasped her hands together to rest beneath her chin and began examining the rows and rows of books on either side of the concrete floor. Ordinarily she liked the way her half inch heel clicked behind, but not today. The library was a place of silence for lost, wandering souls to find themselves. In Australia when home wasn’t her own bed she would venture out and go to her own little library. She would grab a book and curl up on the arm chair so she could sleep. Maurice never had a kind word to say about that little adventure, she recalled and hugged herself. It was suddenly a little cooler within the stone walls.

“You’re not going to catch a chill are you, dearie?” The sudden voice made her jump. She turned around to face Mr Gold with his nice suit and interesting cane. He backed away. “I hadn’t meant to startle you.”

“I wasn’t listening for you.” Belle assured. She stepped forward to give them back the distance they had prior. She wasn’t shivering anymore in his presence. He gave a tender smile as though he were accepting an apology she didn’t give.

“It’s a lovely place.” He used the idle conversation route instead of outright affirming what they’d talked of on the phone. She studied him for a moment to try and asses why. Belle lead him over to sit at a table so he wouldn’t have to stand on his leg.

“I had an unforeseeable arrangement before coming here if that is why you’re burning a hole into the side of my head.” 

“Pardon me, Mr Gold, but you see everything. That’s how you do your deals.” 

“Lucky for you that isn’t what we are here to discuss.” He smiled at her. Real or fake, there was no discernible unlikeness. He smiled to so few people that it was a rare gift when he did. 

Mr Gold reached into his satchel and retrieved a thick binder. At another time she would connote it with the job application binders back at Archie’s office. It was the instruction manual on immigrants marrying an American citizen. Every question that a normal couple should know about each other spread across thirty of the hundred pages. Belle felt at quite a disadvantage. Nobody knew anything personal about Mr Gold including her when it came to his likes and dislikes. Sure, he had been married to Regina’s mother Cora for ninety days five years ago, but that was it. There were rumors he had a son in Manhattan, but it wasn’t anything other than rumor. She had better luck convincing Maurice this wedding wasn’t a sham than she did of getting Mr Gold to open up.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” She asked while flipping through the list of very personal questions.

“Wouldn’t be here otherwise, Ms French.” 

“Formalities aren’t going to make this look real. Call me Belle.” She set the great big book of everything back on the table so she could lean towards him.

“Belle.” He repeated like a child sounding out the word. No matter what it felt like to him it became time number six on the list of when he did something that made her warm and fuzzy inside. “Yes, I suppose so.” 

“And your name?”

“You call me Gold.” Mr Gold said after opening and closing his mouth several times. Nobody knew that first name and it wouldn’t be surprising if he forgot it himself. Right then that didn’t concern her. He looked like he was leaning towards her. They were leaning in to each other. Something was going to happen, or it would have before he straightened back up.

“Well that’s one question down.” 

“Multiple, actually. I know you a lot better than you think, dearie.” She raised a brow for an explanation. 

“You’re an only child to a single father born and raised in Australia. You have brown hair, blue eyes.” 

“You’re not wrong.” Belle nodded that was the gist of it. 

“Nor am I finished. You can read in multiple languages and are brighter than any employee of mine despite having no degree or experience. You could be doing just about anything else in this world and you would be good at it.” Belle placed her pinky on his thumb. The lightest she could muster so he didn’t notice or pay any mind to it.

“It sounds quite wonderful when you say it.” She had only ever heard those things used against her. “Did you really think I was just going to leave you like that?”

“I had no reason not to. At least being engaged to me would get Keith Nottingham away from you so you could go home in peace.” Mr Gold could have shot bullets out of his mouth the way he said Nottingham’s name. 

“I was going to. Then I got home and saw the letter and the roses and figured being engaged to you is not the worst thing in this world.” She squeezed his hand in encouragement and gave a smile until he looked at her the way that he did.

What Mr Gold kept secret from absolutely everybody, except for Jefferson and Regina, was that he had been engaged once and married prior to that. The first wife left when he and their son were living in squalor beneath bridges. The second he was married to for ninety days. She put a dent in his fortune after convincing him out of a prenuptial agreement, but it was nothing that hadn’t been fixed. Saying that he was engaged to Belle French was a lie to get her easily out of America. He could play the doting fiance just as easily as he could stop ‘snacking on children as they slept’. So when his lovely assistant and most adored employee said that there were worse things than being attached to him struck a nerve in his core.

What more terrible thing could she think of than being with him?


	5. hotel australia

The decision to leave that night after the library came when Belle had a message from Ruby who couldn’t be more excited her friend was returning. Belle said she was bringing somebody home and hung up the phone before Ruby could get into questioning every last detail. Belle didn’t date. Her strongest real-world romance was getting proposed to by the pompous body builder after high school graduation. Every other love affair was with a dashing hero in her books. She didn’t want someone who would save her. Her ideal partner would take her on whirlwind adventures and never make her feel insecure about how much and how often she liked to read.

Imagine Ruby’s excitement when Belle said that yes, that was the kind of guy she found in America.

Belle stood by Mr Gold as they went through security in the airport. She knew he hated flying anywhere in general and would much rather heliport if he could. He was difficult to part with the cape type thing he wore around his neck like a scarf. He picked it up before he retrieved his cane on the other side of the detector. A few dirty looks were cast their way when Belle took his arm for support. She didn’t mind it until he pulled away and excused himself to the bathroom. Her sad eyes followed his back until he was out of her sight. At first it was because of her inner turmoil to stop him from blackening his knuckles again or to let him go. As though a spell were cast over her, Belle was transfixed in the way he walked instead. 

He was a mobile Walt Whitman poem. It was in his limbs and joints, his hips and wrists, the walk and the carry of his neck. He could be dressed in a clown outfit complete with big shoes and a red nose or covered completely in animal fur and horns, but it would not hide her from him. She liked watching him walk. Painful melancholy now replaced that endearing quality when he returned just as they were to board. Belle was hopeful seeing his hands were perfectly fine, yet then remembered the strange occurrence that had happened the first time when the evidence was all gone. He offered her his arm, but she took his hand instead. To practice being in a real relationship, she claimed. In truth she just wanted to feel his rough calloused fingers against her own.

They flew from Maine to JFK in New York with a four hour overnight layover. From there they were in Honk Kong international with a five hour layover before finally ending up, thirty six hours later, in Melbourne. Belle finished two of the seven books she’d borrowed from the library. It was the dead of ten o’clock night and they were exhausted. Belle could finally see why he hated the travel, as much as she liked the excitement of getting to fly. The only time she ever had was to America and the short one not too long ago to Manhattan against his wishes. Her adrenaline wore off when it registered in her hand that the waiting and traveling couldn’t be good on his leg. Instead of heading towards her hometown as soon as they arrived as planned, Belle insisted they get a hotel for the night so they could rest. Mr Gold didn’t put up much of a fight.

“Is this together or separate?” The desk clerk asked once they found a hotel that was still open and did not look seedy. 

“Together.” Belle answered before Mr Gold could make them part ways.

“Then I’m paying for it.” He reached into his pocket to take out his wallet when Belle caught his wrist. Right by his hip. She retracted, quickly.

“You paid for the plane tickets. Allow me.” She pecked a kiss to his shoulder. He pursed his lips and seemed visibly annoyed, but complied. He was exhausted as she was and desperately needed to rest his leg. Belle wanted to ask for a wheelchair, but knew from experience what a bad idea that would be. He set some poor secretary’s desk on fire for offering.

She gathered a cart and hurriedly put their luggage onto it while Mr Gold took a few calls from America and checked out the lobby. The less activity he could exert the better. Nothing was going to be as good as getting him to bed, though. Her throat tightened at this new found assessment. She wasn’t stupid. She was very much aware of _why_ she wanted to be in a hotel room alone with her boss. She just wasn’t clear on how this was going to work out. He had done a fine job of keeping his personal life far out of way in his professional. 

In the morning she knew what coffee to get him to start the day, what he would take for breakfast, and when to call the cab to take them to the next destination. She knew that he would eat whatever for lunch, but not his favorite food. She knew his tie color depended on the level of severity for the meeting, but not which pigment was his favorite. Pretending to be his fiance was easy, sure. They just smiled and said they were engaged to be married. Being one, however…that was a different story. She knew he was not going to make this easy.

Mr Gold came over to help. A word which here means ‘do it himself’. He pushed the cart where she pulled and bring it into the elevator. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes to rest. It was creepy to stare and imagine if he looked as peaceful in his sleep, but she couldn’t help herself. The warmth within her could parallel that of the Australian midday sun. She found herself a little envious that his cane unwittingly was the luckiest object in the world. He didn’t lean against or deepened on anything (anyone) else. She followed the lights as they road up higher and higher to their floor. She reached behind and found Gold’s hand to gently wake him. He straightened and helped her move the cart along down the hall.

Despite how beautiful the room was Belle first noted that there were two beds. She turned her frown away from Gold to unload their luggage onto the dresser below the flat screen television hanging up on the wall. They wouldn’t be staying here as Ruby had insisted on her staying at Granny’s. Belle was worried about how well Mr Gold was going to be accepted there, but had agreed on his behalf. Belle had told him there was a place they could stay in her hometown although no specifics were given. Yes, the undeniable beauty of the room and the beach view was not at the forefront of her mind.

“Why don’t you go rest? I’ll take care of this.” They wouldn’t be staying but a night. They would need their clothes for at least tomorrow and hers were on the bottom below the book bag. 

“You need to as well. Check out is eleven and we have a long itinerary for tomorrow.” She smiled at his attempt of caring. He sat down at the edge of the bed. She needed to make a break for it then. Not for her own emotions. Watching him get ready for bed was not a thing she was comfortable with just yet. Not as much as she thought anyway.

“I’m going to call Ruby so she knows we’re finally here.” She fished around in her suitcase for her cell phone.

“Purse side pocket.” He said while adjusting his pillows. She looked where he directed and found it was indeed there. She wanted to thank him or something, but he was on the way to the bathroom. She heard the shower turn on and didn’t worry about any injury to himself again.

Ruby allowed Belle to vent frustrations about the flight taking so long before drilling into her for not coming into town and introducing the lucky man in her life as soon as possible.

“It’s so late and we have been traveling for almost two days.” Belle relayed again with a yawn. 

“Well, Granny wanted it to be a surprise, but I’m warning you about the party now. And she’s invited Gaston.” Belle tensed at the man who proposed to her long ago. He wanted her to stay here and be a woman waiting for her husband to return from doing Gods knew what with dinner on the table and a martini at the door. 

“Give Granny my thanks in cases I forget tomorrow. By accident of course. What were you asking me about Mr Gold?” 

“Mr Gold? I haven’t said one word about that pr- oh no. _Belle! _” the young French grew startled at her name being called so loud while she was dozing off in the hallway.__

__“I would love to talk to you about this more in the morning, Ruby. I have got to sleep.”_ _

__Belle was completely drowsy when she entered back into the room after giving Ruby no time at all to talk. She flicked the lights of without thinking and fell onto the bed. She removed her shoes and slipped under the eggshell white duvet and sheets, bringing down one of the many pillows to hold to her chest. She would need to be up in the morning to get Mr Gold’s coffee and breakfast, as usual. She wanted time to read before going back home and facing whatever Ruby had told her was being planned for them. She probably would need to rent a car for the weekend and where the nearest dry cleaners was because her town didn’t have one and if Mr Gold minded staying at Granny’s or if staying here would be easier but then they’d just make a back and forth thirty minute trap and…_ _

__The next thing Belle knew she was being awoken by the sunlight peering in through the blinds and the partially separated curtain. Her heart expanded tenfold feeling a presence near her. She looked towards the other bed to see it having never been touched. That could only mean…but how…? She chose not to think about either of those things. So what she accidentally slept next to her boss who she dreamed about more often than not. That was definitely something that occurred. Not regularly, but maybe once or twice a month. To people who were so totally careless and had consideration for their fake fiance’s bad leg needing more space than a twin permitted._ _

__Mr Gold was the one to make any decision for her as she felt him groan getting out of bed. He’d be hurting in the morning after not being able to stretch. Her self-loathing festered even stronger as she continued to not make any note of being awake when he walked around. She shot up out of bed when he dropped his cane and leaned against the dresser. Belle held onto his shoulders and guided him back to the one they slept together in. Not mistakingly, as she very much would be opened to doing so again. He looked at her with the same face he had after she said there would be more terrible things to do with her weekend than be engaged to him._ _

__“Are you hurt? Oh, I should have moved when I could.”_ _

__“You’ve been awake?” She nodded, sheepishly. “Wh-why didn’t you then?”_ _

__“Because, well, I..I mean to say it was…I don’t know.”_ _

__“Did I hurt you?”_ _

__“Not in the slightest. Please lie down. I’ve got things to take care of before we get kicked out of here. Including breakfast.” With a mothering touch she brushed back his hair and kissed his forehead._ _


	6. everything stays

Belle sat in a pale blue dress by Mr. Gold's side in the back seat of a cab heading home. That morning, after the not-so awkward waking up together, she had retrieved them both a plate of breakfast and coffee (she drank the same kind he did in case his spilled) before he took a shower and left her alone. She called the cab first before Ruby to let her know they would be on their way that morning. Belle tried to take a moment to read one of the library books, but her fears wouldn't let her. Ruby swore she told nobody of this guy actually being a man that was her boss, and Belle believed her of course, but there was still that anxious part of her that worried about the worst. She didn't notice if the silence between her and Gold was awkward or not. She was too focused on burning a hole in the window she stared so intensely out of.

"It's going to be fine, dearie. Nobody knows we are engaged yet, so you can call it off at any time." His words of supposed comfort just made her feel worse. 

"Ruby knows. Not the reason behind it, but I accidentally told her last night. If we break it off, she's going to be furious. With you." Gold didn't look too angry about this new development. More sympathetic, like she'd expressed concern over losing Ruby due to this. It then turned to brows furrowing and him looking at her right hand.

"Have you been engaged before?" Not wanting to get into that, she thanked her lucky stars when the car stopped in front of Granny's Diner. "Strange place to grow up." 

"My home isn't in Australia, Mr Gold." Belle knew that much since long ago. Any place she could be driven out with ease was not a home. She went around the cab to meet him on the sidewalk as the driver unloaded their stuff. "Are you ready for this?" He nodded, offering her his arm. 

The moment they stepped in, Belle was greeted by a welcoming party of all her closest friends and family. She greeted and hugged every single one of them as they blatantly ignored Mr Gold who remained sitting at the end of the counter to let her socialize. She wanted to go back to him, but kept getting stopped by person after person. Belle stopped and froze seeing her father. Maurice was drinking from a frothy mug and listening to Gaston Legume talk. She caught both eyes at the same time and started fiddling with her fingers. At the same time, Ruby was introducing herself to Mr Gold and explaining the history between Belle, Gaston, and her father. Ruby wasn't pleased with this engagement, as she felt left in the cold about them dating or at the very least on friendly terms, but she trusted Belle's judgement. Ruby and Gold joined Belle's side as she was approached by father and not-ex boyfriend. Belle was paralyzed with fear and worry until Ruby put an arm around her. 

"Didn't know you two were coming." She wasn't malicious, only judgmental. 

"Hard not to when you invite the whole town! Belle would want me here anyway." Gaston answered with a proud smile as though she weren't in the room at all. Belle stopped and brought Archie into the conversation to save herself. 

"Belle French, hello! How are you?" He pulled her into a comforting hug that Belle happily returned. 

"Well. Nice to see you! Mr Hopper here posted the job opening." She explained to Mr Gold. He smiled courteously to shake hands with the man.

"So, why don't you tell us what kind of trades you do? Besides traveling around and finding new and interesting things." Mr Hopper asked to help the conversation. 

"No wonder you like being in trade." Granny intervened addressing Belle. She probably sensed the drama about to unfold in front of the other guests. 

"Belle's an assistant. She does nothing but sit at a desk all day. Gold here-"

"Mr Gold to you." Gold corrected. 

"-is the one in trade. He's her boss, old enough to be her grandfather. I need a refill." Gaston muttered. Her father agreed and they dispersed. Belle looked apologetically to her fiancé and excused herself. He nodded, placing his hand on hers, and let her go. She marched over to the end of the bar where the pair were sitting. 

"Never expected you for a girl who slept her way to the upper lower." Moe took another swig. Belle fumed.

"I'll have you know that man is one of the most powerful in his field."

"That is a meal ticket. And she thinks she's the smart one." Gaston rolled his eyes, hopping up on the counter. She clenched her fists, but dared not swing at them. 

She turned around and marched right back to Gold's side. She took his hand and removed one of the rings on his finger to place in his hand. He looked towards her and she nodded. Gold kissed her cheek and reached for an empty iced tea glass from the counter and a fork. He called everyone to attention and then took her hands in his. They smiled at each other and he asked if she was ready for this. She nodded, tears forming in her eyes that she didn't have to fake. Because Moe had always hated what she did with her life, she couldn't ever be true happy. This pretend moment with a man she dreamed of on the good nights and hated on the bad days was going to be her ever after. This should have been a good moment, on down the line. With someone she was completely in love with, be that him or somebody else. Moe and Gaston ruined it. They ruined and burned every genuine part of her life. She couldn't even pay attention to what Gold was saying to her, but she did catch the words beautiful, kind, and smart sprinkled in there. What she did catch, was that the ring she took from him was back on his finger. And he produced a box from his coat. With a ring colored rose gold. She stood him back up and mumbled some part of an agreement before hugging his neck. He made it special. Not because she needed a ring, but because he went to the effort of making this exactly like a surprise proposal would be. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed her against him. 

"When did you even get this?"

"It got left behind from your bouquet and letter. I had an idea of you wearing it in town, but thought this might be easier on people seeing you said yes of your own accord." She planted a smooch to his cheek to thank him. She didn't know how to say what she wanted. 

The party was quite divided after the event before occurred. Ruby and Archie supported them, as well as a young man named David Nolan. He had gotten stuck in Australia not too long after he married his wife. Hearing that it was Mary Margaret, the schoolteacher they always shot down fundraising, Belle thanked him but tried her best to avoid anything. The rest of the people sided with Moe and Gaston that this match was incredibly strange. Gold was too old, too experienced for Little Belle French. This infuriated her. She was a grown woman playing house with someone she truly wanted to be with who saved her from coming back here. Ruby was the only one to know the complicated feelings Belle had for her ghastly behaved boss. She hugged Belle at the end of the night when people finally packed their egos in a bag and headed home. She asked the moderately happy couple to see the town while she convinced Granny to let them stay there. Belle thought it was a wonderful idea. 

She took him down the road of Main Street, her arm still linked with his. She showed him the school and explained her nonexistent relationship with Gaston. Then the park where she broke her arm at six after jumping off the swing just before having her tonsils removed. It was during those two weeks that her mother really got her into reading. Whenever Belle was hurting her mother would sing one of the short little children's book. For a few birthdays after that, she and her mother would plan the party around one that was in Belle's favorite book of the moment. Gold kept asking questions about her mother and she was quite happy to oblige. She and Moe never talked about it and she didn't really become friends with Ruby until long after. Belle explained how even in America she kept thinking she'd come home and her mother would be sitting there doing something. Gold promised her he understood how hard it was for a child to grow up without a parent, but wasn't ready to divulge why he knew that. She didn't press him and in exchange received a warm, perfect fitting embrace. Belle then showed him the grounds of her library. 

"But this is-" he stopped and looked at the store next to it with his name plastered over the wall. "Belle, I'm so sorry." He apologized, completely sincere. 

"We didn't have the money anyway. It would've been a terrible reminder." She laughed off, walking a little ahead of him with his hand still in hers. 

"Right here was my desk. Here was the children's section and down there the older level. Fiction, non fiction, autobiography, art collection, and classics." She pointed out where each row was. "And this was the media room. We still had VHS and cassette tapes." She smiled back at him. 

"What genre book is your favorite?" 

"Her Handsome Hero is my favorite book." She answered plainly. His own smile faltered for a moment before regaining. "It's about-"

"I know. Let's go see if Ruby has the rooms ready." He nodded back down the road and started heading off without her.


	7. stuck in the middle with you

*****THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS FANTASY VIOLENCE IN DETAIL. If that bothers you, please skip the paragraph that starts “When Ruby appeared to be a person of action”. Gold is angry with Moe.*****

Belle clasped Mr Gold’s hand in hers as Ruby snuck them both into the bed and breakfast. Granny hadn’t wanted him to come within five feet of her family and was adamant about him staying out of their town. His charming Little Belle French was perverse and obtuse and something they didn’t need. Granny believed Belle would come to her senses about it before the weekend was up. Ruby had other ideas from the moment Gold proposed. Her being unaware they were even dating aside, Belle’s reaction made up for it. Ruby put her own bias aside for a friend’s happiness. She knew Gold evoked that and other emotions with Belle. Much as it was hard to believe.

Belle found it fun in a way. This was like having a sister help sneak a boyfriend in when dad didn’t approve. Which was a stark contrast compared to the walk back from the parking lot. She could understand someone not like the same books, but that they would have such a reaction seemed a bit childish. Gold didn’t give a reason for distaste, admit to having one for the book, or acknowledge her sharing that information at all. There were many people (Gaston included, but that wasn’t a comparison she was willing to make) that thought it was trashy and implausible. She wanted to debate about it with Gold. Not be totally shut down and out of any discussion at all.

“I’m going to catch up with Ruby. She’d wanted to do some shopping, so I may not be back until late.” Gold still didn’t look at her. He gave her one of the happiest moments of her life and then took it away just as easily. 

When she walked out with pain written on her face, he shattered the bulb in a lamp.

Ruby didn’t ask anything about Belle’s relationship with Gold after seeing that look. She did make sure to see if something had happened, that perhaps Gold staying somewhere else was a better idea after all, but Belle denied that needing to happen. He had never physically harmed her and did more praise for her ego than bruising. Her feeling emotionally or mentally hurt was from his flip flop between being so caring to the most passive person on earth. They were pretending to be engaged and couldn’t withstand a conversation that lasted longer than an hour. Normal couples just enjoyed each other’s company even in silence, but she yearned for more from him. Gold wasn’t just going to give her that. She didn’t quite know what to do.

“Belle? You okay?” The young French daughter was staring blank at a coral blue shirt as though she were in a dream. Or very, very high. Belle snapped out of her contemplation.

“Yeah, sorry. Just thinking about the wedding, you know.” She partially lied. What would happen after they carried through with this sham?

“Just know that Granny still would love an invitation. You’re family, too. Even if it’s around the world during a full moon, we’ll be there. And I must help you pick out a dress, of course.” Belle smiled, sincerely. Ruby was her best friend and always had the best of intentions no matter what the cost. She would place her life Ruby’s hands if necessary.

“Hey, Belle! Your father wants to see you.” The only way she could feel more dread was if Archie hadn’t seemed so excited about this endeavor. If something was wrong with Moe it would at least explain his actions towards her.

“I think you mean Moe wants to see her.” Ruby clarified with a roll of her eyes. Want me to go with you?” She contained all concern in the world on her face.

“If you wouldn’t mind, just tell Gold why I may be late coming back is because my father trapped me in some mine to keep us apart.” The two laughed it off. 

Archie summarized what he hoped this meeting was about while they walked down the street to the park. He had been talking to Moe ever since the cold welcome home at Granny’s from the father and ex-Gaston. After the long conversation, Moe had begun to show signs of regret of his actions. Archie felt this was the time to bring Belle in and have them talk about everything. Archie encouraged this so much that she could see he knew something she didn’t. He left her alone at the swings where her father was sitting on the wooden steps leading up to a tower where the longer slide was the only other exit. 

“Your mother helped build this side of the park after those out of towner's vandalized the whole place.” He picked up a handful of mulch and let it drop through his fingers. Belle crossed her arms and didn’t speak. 

“Apparently, I wasn’t the most gracious of hosts last night. It was just a little shock to find out you’re getting married when not even Ruby or Hopper knew you were dating.” His voice grew with more and more malice as he went on. “I owe you an apology.”

“Accepted.” She just wanted this conversation to be over with. Belle turned on her heel to walk away before he stood up. 

“There’s something else. I’m not going to live forever. I-”

“-need someone to bring you beers and dinner instead of cultivating her own life. We’ve discussed this.”

“Yeah, and you’re screwing around in America needs to stop. Don’t you think I know what kind of man that Gold is, praying on young naive girls who have issues with their father?” Her anger just turned into heartbreak.

“It’s Mr Gold to you. My life in Maine is everything I need it to be. There’s hardly anybody there that has hurt me the way that you have for the last eighteen years. I want to be with him. If I can’t have you both in my life, the decision is not going to be very difficult to make.” 

Belle left him behind at the park. She called Ruby to say everything was just fine and she was going to go run at the track behind the high school. She hung up before Ruby could ask any more questions. Belle took off her shoes and began running in the direction of the track. She didn’t care that her purse hit her waist with every step, or that her skirt wasn’t optimal running material, or about anything else in the world. As happy as she should be about wanting to close her father out of her life, she wasn’t. Her body wouldn’t let her. So, just like she did after her first day at Gold Incorporated, she ran until her lungs were burning worse than the tears clouding her eyes.

On the other end of that phone call, Gold was growing worried over Belle not coming back from shopping with Ruby. He stood by, fighting to be patient, while Ruby spoke on the phone with her. There was always something within him that needed Belle to be safe and happy and with him. It lit like a memory of another life the moment he first read her name three years ago. He’d hired her purely on instinct, but she had proved herself more than he could have ever expected. He saw great things in her. He hated relying on feelings and instincts and intuition, but he had been right about Belle. Losing her would mean never figuring out why this incessant need to have her near. That wasn’t something he was prepared to deal with. 

When Ruby appeared to be a person of action, he was glad Belle had her. They went out looking for either French person so they could deal with this. Gold wanted very much to show Moe the wrong end of his cane. He got a strange thrill out of thinking about bashing the man’s face in, breaking his nose, ripping out his tongue like a loose button and breaking his ribs so his lungs could fill with blood. He wanted to toss him down a well and listen to the sweet sound of every bone in Moe’s body cracking on the stone like Belle’s heels on the pavement. He wanted to shoot Moe between the eyes and have the head explode like a geyser. He wanted Australia to rain in the blood of Moe French. He would make it to where Belle never knew a damn thing.

It was those indulgent fantasy violence scenarios that he couldn’t carry out legally that made him bash in towel dispensers and break hinges off of bathroom stall doors. There was something very dark and sinister that begged for him to get angry at the world that betrayed and hated him. He fought so hard against it. Before Belle’s employment, it was almost impossible. He had a membership to Maine’s gun club so he could pretend the paper and plastic figures were those that so much as cut him off in traffic or interrupted him during a meeting. Belle walked in, looked at him with no fear other than rejection, and gave him her light. He fought against himself for her.

“There she is!” Ruby called to the other side of the street. “Oh no.” 

“Is she hurt? What is she doing.”

“Um, you go talk to her. I’ll keep looking for Moe and meet you back at Granny’s.” Ruby going on ahead probably saved Moe’s life. 

Gold limped his way over to the fence and searched for the opening. She either didn’t notice he was there or was ignoring him to have this time to herself. Whichever way, he went through the gate and placed himself on the track as she came around the bend. Belle slowed upon seeing him and started walking. Her face was red, sweat dripping everywhere, hair matted to the sides of her face. For a very brief moment, Gold found her quite attractive this way. She hurried in her walk towards him when he started moving for her. 

“Running in circles isn’t going to get you far from your problems, dearie.” He started to add onto that, but she collided into his chest to hug him. This was the moment he’d been dreading.

Being in a relationship was something that Gold knew well. Neither Cora or Milah would have ever said that they were happy being with him. He was a terrible person, quick and cruel with the punishments of those that even slightly upset him. He was a monster that found a sense of adrenaline excitement when thinking about brutally murdering the father of the woman in his arms. Gold regretted ever thinking of this plan. Even in a pretend engagement that he forced her into to save her job, she couldn’t pretend to be happy and it was all his fault. If he hadn’t given her the silent treatment after she shared such personal information including her favorite book, she wouldn’t have gone shopping with Ruby. He wouldn’t have let Belle go see her father knowing it was going to end terrible. Wicked people did not change. They just learned how to cover it up.

“Home.” Belle mumbled into Gold’s chest while he was thinking of other things. She didn’t know if it was a request or an adjective of her current place.


	8. a spot of rum

“Fun fact about me: I like a good picnic.” Belle smiled, presenting the basket Ruby let her borrow. She had woken up wanting the Friday morning be much better than the Thursday afternoon. Mr Gold was sitting at the desk doing work on the slow computer trying to expand their store to Tokyo, but seemed grateful at the distraction she provided.

“That’s an excellent idea, dearie.” Belle’s eyes glistened like the shimmering crystal blue lakes they were. 

Gold stared back at her in an attempt to drown in the best way possible. She placed a hand on the back of the chair. She leaned forward, wanting to do something about the want in her lower belly pushing her towards him. Her heart stopped when he pulled away, but blamed it on the knock to the door. They both scattered apart to hide Gold in the bathroom in case it was Granny. Belle sat at the computer to make it being on doing something not seem as strange. 

“Come in!” She called, putting on a happy smile. It slowly faded seeing Archie walk in with Moe. Ruby and Granny were behind them. 

“Granny, Hopper, Ruby and I have come up with a proposition and I happen to think it’s a wonderful idea. We-”

“We want you to get married here Sunday!” Ruby interrupted, stepping forward. She only looked a little sorry, but Belle wasn’t exactly upset with her over this decision.

“What? No.” Belle stood. They couldn’t stand looking at him last night, but were all super happy for it now? She wasn’t going to let them humiliate Gold like this. Not when she may possibly feel…

“You’re going to get married anyway? Why not here where Granny can be a part of it.” Moe insisted. Belle looked to Granny who didn’t seem sure. At least her true honesty was still present. “Before she’s dead?” 

“Fine!”

“Okay, I will do everything!” Belle nodded, trying to figure out if this thought disease was what started _1984_. Archie was happy that Moe was trying, Ruby seemed genuinely excited about this, and Granny couldn’t have cared less about any of it. Of course that warranted her fake wedding to Gold in two days.

“Oh my Gods.” Belle groaned into her hands as she sat down on the chair after everyone had left. Gold emerged from the bathroom hearing the silence and went to her. “When Ruby finds out this whole thing isn’t real, I’m going to be ex-communicated and Granny’s going to die.”

“Ruby cannot ex-communicate you, sweetheart, nor do I believe she would. Granny’s going to be fine, nobody is going to find out. I’m very good at keeping secrets.” He smiled to encourage her, but it didn’t do much good. She still liked his comfort and therefore found no real reason to move from his shoulder. He rubbed small movements at the base of her spine. “It’s going to be fine.”

“You’re right. Quick divorce and be fine.” Belle didn’t think ‘fine’ was the perfect word, but it was the best one for their relationship right now. 

“For now, I think you had planned on having a picnic. Let’s go do that and deal with this later.” He tucked her soft brown curls behind her ear. 

Belle finally found a decent car to rent until Sunday. It arrived by the time they both showered and dressed, although she kept it her lips tight on where it was they were going. She let him drive with her directions down the road away from the town. It was close to a three hour drive without traffic, but she knew it easily. She kept glancing at the book bag near her feet, so he took out his phone and set the GPS for the road in Princetown she divulged. She leaned back in the seat and took out one of the books. No matter what the hero in the story was described to look like, she kept picturing something a little different. Her hero was just and true and working hard on the kind part. He would have never hid in the bathroom away from Granny under any other circumstance.

They could hear the waves rushing from the moment Gold parked the car. He gave her a look, but she seemed sure this was a good idea. Belle explained that this was the off-season, but she hardly remembered ever seeing anybody here anyway. She used to come here with her parents when she was younger, but hadn’t been in over a decade. He collected the picnic basket, she carried her book bag and lead him through the ways until they could see the entire perfect blue ocean and rust colored dirt beneath their feet. Eight, large rock formations were spread along out in the water. 

“Welcome to the Twelve Apostles.” 

“You’re missing four.” 

“You would have loved Gold Coast then.”

“You’re kidding me.” 

“Not at all. I like it a little more than here.” She and Ruby had gone there after high school graduation and once a month since then up until three years ago. 

“Get in the car.” He said like they were just going to the store to pick up some milk.

“It’s too far a drive.” Nearly eighteen hours, if she remembered right. Being in a car with him that long…

“I’ve got time.” Belle looked at him then in the middle of fanning out the blanket and finding a nice place to sit by the ocean without getting scorched by the sun. Gold hadn’t asked how long it would take to get there or that he needed to arrange some things back at work first. He was just willing to take her like that.

“I’d love to run away with you, but can we talk first?” Gold pursed his lips and nodded as he sat down next to her. She emptied the rest of the basket filled with snacks and sandwiches and ice tea in a canteen. “I want to know who you are.” 

“I am the owner of Gold Incorporated and a terrible human being. Next question.” Belle shook her head and moved closer. She had known he was going to say something like that.

“You were just willing to take me to the other side of the continent no questions asked. Try again. I see it there in your eyes every time I look at you.” 

“Neal Cassidy is my son.” He said under his breath. 

“The one you let go four months ago?” He nodded. “Does he know?” Another nod. She leaned against his shoulder and placed a protective arm around his front. “You’re not going to tell me to learn from you and reconcile with my father, are you?” 

“Definitely not. I have down horrible things out of…out of fear, but I love my son more than anything else in this world.” It was taking a lot for him to say that simple confession. She wanted to know what he did, but would not ask. She didn’t want to push him too much into talking to her. 

“I’ve had dreams of being here with you.” Belle confessed, her hand inching towards his. He took it and she laced their fingers. “I will fight everyone that claims there is no good in you, Gold.”

“Rum.”

“I didn’t bring any.” 

“No, dearie. My name is Rum.” 

It was dark when they returned to Granny’s, hand in hand and a little bit happier than they each truly been in three years. Gold hadn’t let go of hers since the moment on the beach, but hadn’t outright addressed it. When she looked at him as they got out of the car, she couldn’t find a difference between him and the brightest star in the great black sky above them. He was smart, beautiful, and kindhearted. If Belle were ever going to fall in love with someone who wasn’t fictional, it was going to be him. She harbored her deep emotions down into where she kept them before. A place only he had the key to. It was like he was holding her heart in the palm of his hand, but he hadn’t ripped it from the chested cage. She gave it to him. No questions asked.

Granny was waiting outside the bed and breakfast for them. Belle squeezed Rum’s hand as a cold sweat struck them both.

“You can cut the crap and come with me. Ruby is not to know a thing about this.” They looked to each other. Rum went ahead of her similar to the white knight ahead of the queen. The diner was closed, but single light buzzed above Keith Nottingham. 

“I told you I’d be checking up on you. Mr French and Mr Legume were both quite shocked to find you said you were engaged just after I announced Belle’s deportation.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is short, but i was rushing to get it up before i head into work. we are closing in on the last few chapters and i couldn't thank you guys for the amazing response this has received. i'm planning on two other fics once this is finished that i hope you enjoy just as much.


	9. a man after midnight

“What have you done.” Rum narrowed his eyes in Nottingham’s direction.

“I got a phone call meant for Ruby. Mr Keith here thinks you’re lying about this entire thing and wants to send you to prison.” 

“Granny,” Belle shook her head looking at the ground. Just as things were going well between her and Rum and they were finally getting where she wanted to be in his life, it had to be thrown into the fan. Everything she worked for today felt like it was slipping away. Belle turned her body into his.

“I negotiated a deal for you.” 

“This offer is going to last twenty seconds so listen close.” Keith continued while Belle tried to get Rum to pay her a little bit of mind. “You are going to make a statement admitting this is a sham or you’re going to prison.” He told Mr Gold. “You tell the truth, you’re off the hook or you’ll stay here.” 

“Here’s your statement-” Gold started. Belle knew, could feel it in the deep pits of herself, that he didn’t want her to go away from him.

“I’ve worked for Mr Gold for three years. I fell in love. So when he asked to marry me I said yes.” Belle stated. She tightened her hold on Rum’s hand and pulled him along. “I’ll see you both at the wedding.” 

Belle left the basket from their wonderful kind of date at the counter for Ruby to find in the morning. She lead Rum up through the front door, the way every regular tenant and even the vagrants and loiters were allowed. He usually stayed in the room or had to be brought in and out of the large window. He went to the computer to check his emails while she called Ruby and told her everything out of worry that Granny would first. Ruby was, understandably, hurt from not being told all of this from the beginning. She then asked if Belle still wanted to do the bachelorette party tomorrow. Belle agreed. She owed Ruby something from this and it had been a long time since Belle got plastered. 

Belle helped Rum turn down the bed. He gave her a look of questioning, but she just raised a brow in response. They slept near each other once before, they were going to again. If he was okay with it, of course. He didn’t tell her no or seem to have any trepidations about this. She smiled at him and patted the mattress next to her. She swore a tiny little grin flickered on his mouth for just a moment before he joined her. She stayed on her pillow as he did his own, but they looked at each other for a long moment. They clicked off their lights and she searched for his hand.

“I go to a psychic almost every Wednesday. I actually quite enjoy the insight.” Rum confessed when she thought he was asleep. 

“I like disco music.” She shared, in turn. “I read Wuthering Heights every Christmas.”

“Neil’s birth name is Baelfire. He changed it after I chased him off at fourteen.” He started fiddling with her fingers after that. 

“I had a tattoo removed after I lost my virginity. It was a wilted rose I got after my mother died. It scarred.” There was a distinctive long moment pause before he spoke again.

“Gaston?” She laughed just slightly that was what he picked up on.

“No. I don’t even remember his name.” She bit her lip, thinking whether or not to say what was on the tip of her tongue. It was dangerous to say anything that would push him away, but she still wanted Rum to know. “Can I tell you a secret?”

“That seems to be the theme here, yes.” 

“I…I wish it had been with you. I wish every first had been with you.” Another pause, this one longer than the first. She regretted every last word, but how could she not think that after spending every last minute of three years with him and then pretending to be his fiance? Pretending to be in fake love when she actually felt something above love for him? 

“Good line for INS.” She clung to his hand when he started to pull away.

“I wouldn’t do that to you.” Belle leaned forward and placed her forehead against his.

“Oh, I’m sure. But tomorrow night is your bachelorette party, so be sure to keep your options open. I won’t be upset if you don’t come back here.” She could see him smiling right at her, but there was no truth to the words. Belle needed a way to prove to him that what she felt was sincere.

“Fine. I’m staying right here.” She decided, placing her cold nose in the warm crook of his neck. He placed a hand on her back and drew small circles on her back with his thumb. 

Sixteen hours later, Belle was standing in a place that would make the patrons of the Rabbit Hole back in Maine blush. In three different corners there were well oiled men all dancing around a chair with a novelty bridal vail on it. The lights were flashing and music pounded with the beat of an eighties song she barely knew the words to. This definitely had Ruby’s name written all over it, but Belle really didn’t mind. It was the last thing she would pick for the night before her wedding, but tomorrow wouldn’t be a real wedding anyway. Everything was a lie, except for the emotions on her part. This might as well be too. 

Ashley Boyd with her beautiful blonde hair and light blue eyes strolled in looking just as beautiful after having her baby. She’d been five months along when Belle left and while the two were never close she appreciated the company. Ashley had left the baby back at home with her, now, fiance. Belle spoke with her about how terrible wedding plans were in this town. Everybody had to stick their nose in it. Ashley did say that her fiance proposed in this bar on what was meant to be a girls’ night back when Mary Margaret was still here. Belle wished there was something she could do to bring the pair together instead of making a living telling Ms Blanchard no over funding for the school. Ruby came back with cocktails and this worry was soon confessed to the two of them.

“You didn’t know, honey! I’m sure that Mary Margaret told David anyway. And David’s taking him out for the bachelor party tonight, so it’s gotta be…okay.” Ashley tried with a hopeful smile. Belle choked on her raspberry sangria with added vodka. The stronger tonight the better.

“He’s…he’s out?” Had Rum known that last night? Is that why he told her to have fun? Because he was going to? Who was he hooking up with tonight? 

“C’mon, I’m sure it’s fine.” Ruby encouraged another round and another box of pizza. 

“You know what? You’re right. Here. I’m going dancing.” 

Belle stood and removed her top so she was just in the red bodice and black skirt with a four inch heel. She unpinned her hair and made her way towards the chair on the center stage. She hadn’t known that the three strippers rotated and that Gaston Legume would be the one in charge of her dance. She pushed the vail on her head and stared out into the crowd. She was unhappy about her decision from the moment that she sat down, but she stuck with it. If Rum was doing this tonight..then she could. Do. Something. 

There was an amalgamation of yelling for Belle to slap Gaston’s ass as he shoved it in her face in this weird swaying motion. Others were telling her to kiss it, a few were telling her to bite him, and she was pretty sure someone was saying that he’d been a bad boy. Belle was suddenly very sick and wanted to go home. She wanted to shower and curl up in bed by herself. Then she got more sick as his coconut body oil was all over her and the stage. This wasn’t what she wanted. 

“Ruby!” She yelled, starting to get emotional. She didn’t want to cry in that stage, but she began blubbering a little. She stood up, kicked her heel off the stage and fell into Ruby’s arms. 

“I love him. I love him so much. This is going to hurt him. I’m a terrible person.”

“No it won’t. Let’s get you home.” She was lifted into strong arms.

“It hurts. This hurts. He’s going to be so upset.” 

“I know, but he’s going to understand.”


	10. cat's in the cradle

Mr Gold became aware of his bachelor party when David Nolan showed up at the hotel door. The only reason Nolan and Mary Margaret were on speaking terms with the man who seemed intent on ruining their lives was the transfer of funds to the school building. Doing so meant children would need newer and better books to study or read at leisure, which would lead to a better library, which boiled down to this being for Belle. Gold bought David out of his prior contract and signed him under a new one to bring him to America after seeing Belle’s reaction to David wanting to be home with his family. 

They drank a little while planning future business projects and did very little of anything else. Mr Gold accidentally asked about relationship advice and entered into a strange conversation he would deny having sober. He and David were both grandfather’s who shouldn’t really be having this issue. This was something the boys Belle and Emma Swan’s age talked about in locker rooms or, more appropriately considering the drinking, in low light bars. Not in a hotel room the night before one was meant to be married. He hoped Belle was at least having a better time doing whatever she willed. If she didn’t show up tomorrow at all, well, that was that then.

“You know that Belle and Mary Margaret are the only reason I can tolerate you, right?” Gold raised a brow, but he didn’t expect much else from the man.

“Ms Blanchard I can understand, but what does Belle have to do with it?” 

“She sees good in you. That’s enough for my wife and, well, as you’ll find out marriage is about a lot of compromises.” 

“What do you suggest then, Nolan?” 

“Honesty, would be a good start. Communication for when this relationship hits the rocks and you want to lash out on her.”

Gold stared deep into the darkest abyss of the strongest whiskey this town had to offer. He found that it wasn’t that much, the water at the bed and breakfast had a stronger kick, and hadn’t objected to David Nolan’s olive branch of a good brew and a couple of mugs. It was actually quite amazing not that he would say so. Gold then thought about the brilliant plan of bringing a distillery to here and having the Australian beer imported to America. David Nolan could be over knocking off the recipe, Regina could manage the expense of the business, and Jefferson the issue of delivery and travel. Baelfire could…

The hope that pierced Gold’s chest hearing the key turning in the lock was soon dashed with absolute confusion and worry seeing Baelfire carrying a passed out Belle French in his arms. The father and son hadn’t seen each other since Baelfire had left from the office building a little over two years ago. Rum stood there not listening to Ruby explain what had happened at all. He was too busy trying to focus on Baelfire getting Belle comfortable. Why was Bae here in Australia and how well did he know her? What sick, twisted force caused Bae to arrive the night before Gold was going to lie to a whole bunch of people? Everything going on this weekend was the antithesis of what Baelfire had despised. Had Bae arrived, perhaps, to attend the wedding out of some kind of support or forgiveness? 

“You’re here.” Mr Gold stepped forward, wanting to hug his child again. Nick Cassidy moved to the side.

“Not for you. Nottingham flew Emma in for protection against you and I wasn’t going to let her go. Alone.”

“Again?” The word left Gold’s mouth in retaliation before he could control it. Baelfire pursed his lips, shook his head then looked towards Belle.

“You know what? I’m glad you’re getting married, even though I had to hear it from Jefferson. At least someone will care to show up to your deathbed.” Rum followed Bae out into the hallway and shut the door behind them.

“I didn’t think you’d come. You hadn’t for the last one.” Rum made excuses. “A-and, Belle won’t be there. On my deathbed. This wedding is so she won’t get deported.” 

“I can’t get a job anywhere because they all know I’m your son. I took your offer out of pity and you fire me for watching my son’s fencing tournament. Yet that woman is getting deported and you marry her.” There was no sign of emotion or anger with his tone. Neal knew he was right. So did Gold.

“Tell me what to do, Bae.” 

“Stay away from Emma and Henry. The Nolan’s are perfect grandparents and Henry doesn’t really need a grandmother old enough to be a big sister.”

“I extend an invitation to you. Belle would be most pleased to see her hero there.” Rum hesitated in placing a hand on Neal’s shoulder. It trembled, just slightly, before dropping in defeat. Fighting for his son was 

“You might want to check your blushing bride to be for alcohol poisoning.” first.” Neal cracked a little bit of sympathy for the old man.

“I will call off the wedding if that’s what it takes for you to talk to me without that look on your face and malice in your blood. I will never speak to her again if that’s what it takes.” Gold persisted. It might hurt just a little, but Belle would be fine. She was young and beautiful. She would find someone else in America who would make her even happier. 

Rum awaited Baelfire’s answer before returning to Belle’s side. Ruby and Ashley had changed the French girl into more comfortable clothes and had her tucked securely under the covers. They left, both kissing her cheek and warning Rum about watching over her, after explaining this night had been an accident. Ruby would be by in the morning to see if Belle was well and ready for the wedding. He walked over to her side and caressed her cheek. Her brows furrowed as though she were in pain just breathing air in and out through her lungs. She harbored no fever, thank goodness. 

He placed a kiss to her cheek and whispered his greatest secret into her ear. Something Rum had not said aloud but to two people before in his entire lifetime. Everything was quite clear to him now and he felt he’d been played for a fool by himself. Rum Gold adored Belle French deeper than a friendship. They were in each other’s dreams and knew the other better than anyone in the world. He wanted to care for her heart more than any antiquity. So soft, precious, and gentle. She was the beautiful hero. For the first time in his entire life, Rum prayed that she knew. And understand.

“Rum.” Her lips brushed against his cheekbone as she awoke during his brief catharsis. “I’m so sorry for hurting you.” Her eyes flickered up to meet his. 

“Not at all, dearie. I believe it is I who hurt you.” Belle sat up and hugged his neck. He wrapped his arms around and held her body against his. She was tense, holding it back. A hand on the back, a thumb moving in circles, cracked her open. That hard shell he didn’t know she had. She cried and she cried very hard. 

“How can this not hurt you? Because it’s not real? Because they’re all going to find out and I’m the one with everything to lose?” Belle’s angry words were coming from no place other than her deepest fears.

“Because it is not your role to hurt me. Breathe, Belle. Breathe. Everything is going to be alright.” Her fingers with nails she kept short to not scratch the pages as she turned them in a book pressed into his back. She was gasping for hair and still very drunk. He wouldn’t be lucky if she remembered this come morning. He got her to lie back down, making the compromise that he would be next to her the entire night through. 

“I saw Baelfire. I thought he was you and I told him a secret.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so sorry for blatantly misspelling Neal Cassidy's name (and once calling him Nick, that should be fixed). there's only two more chapters left before the next fic and i still cannot believe the love this story has gotten. you guys rock.


	11. the penultimate peril

Belle thanked her lucky stars that the wedding was taking place at night. Having the bachelorette party the day before always seemed like a bad idea, but she had thrown more caution to the wind than she’d have liked. She still smelled of coconut when she awoke Sunday morning. She remembered getting angry and hurt with Rum, again, and then receiving a dance from Gaston whose ass she might have touched by accidental circumstance. She remembered guilt eating away at the available buffet of emotion all along her stomach. She remembered falling into arms and confessing her love to Rum Gold.

Which made waking up alone a little easier. His side of the bed didn’t even look like it had gotten touched. Seeing each other was bad luck, but Belle had figured maybe he’d done this once or twice to know that stuff was just stupid superstition. She could have used him to fill in the blanks like, say, how she got into her pajamas after getting completely trashed. She knew she didn’t do it herself because everything was where it was supposed to be. There was a knock to her hotel door. As she walked to answer, she found that his luggage was gone. Okay. Maybe he had stayed somewhere else the night before and taken all of his stuff. No need to worry yet.

“Hey, kiddo. How yah feeling this morning?” Ruby asked with Ashley standing next to her. “Make sure Gold is dressed, we’re coming in!”

“He’s not here. I don’t guess he stayed here last night.” Ashley agreed about the not-seeing-each-other thing being a little surprising.

“It doesn’t matter, I’m sure it’s fine. Let’s go get this wedding dress issue out of the way.”

The ceremony would be taking place at the more wooded area near the park. Archie had offered to officiate and they were going to keep it a private ceremony so Moe and Gaston’s appearance could be monitored. The art museum agreed to house the party. Belle smiled, excited to see Gold’s reaction to that. She expressed this to her friends and Ruby apologized thousand and one times about taking them out last night to the bar. She shouldn’t have taken her frustrations out on Belle like that. She needed to learn to control herself. Belle had to laugh. She knew that issue a bit more than anybody.

They drove into Melbourne for the vintage dress shop for a quickie wedding. On the way, Belle confessed the truth of this to Ashley. Her response was asking Belle if she was pregnant, which made Ruby laugh and joke about Belle having definitely thought about trying with Mr Gold. Belle hid her not-gonna-answer face behind her hands in the backseat. Not denying anything made it ten times worse. Ruby and Ashley then asked if there was going to be a honeymoon, or what was going to happen after INS was satisfied with the length of their marriage. Belle couldn’t exactly go back to a normal boss-employee relationship. The two of them were meant to love each other so much they were getting married. Dedicating that they wouldn’t be with anybody else. In seven hours.

“Belle?” Ashley worried as the future newlywed started freaking out. Belle was frozen in her seat. She and Gold were about to play pretend what people have died for. “You go ahead, I’ll take care of this.” 

“I’ll go pick out some options.” Ruby dismissed herself, knowing Ashley would be best for the topic of cold feet. 

“Nothing really changes except for a ring on your finger. You’re still hanging out, making out, on the couch. You’re still talking about work and learning about each other every single day.” Ashley gave the bright side of this. “I know you love Gold, but if you’re scared about this, you don’t have to do it. You can stay here until we get you a Visa. It’s your choice. Just know that he loves you too and will support you just the same. More than you can possibly know.” Belle felt a tiny bit better and hugged Ashley’s shoulders.

While Belle tried on and discarded dress after dress after dress and thinking of Mr Gold meeting her at the end of the aisle, one of her many fears on this crossed her mind. She hadn’t thought about it until he was nowhere to be found. Everyone had been telling Rum that she was going to leave him at the offer, but only she entertained the idea he would be leaving her. Rum didn’t believe her emotions to be true and while she wasn’t ready to marry exactly right now, she did want to be his. Their dates may be a quick lunch in his office or a stolen kiss when alone in the elevator, but it would be perfect. Rum kept her warm. He would protect her. Even from himself.

She had dreamed of her wedding day since her mother used to tell of an estranged uncle falling asleep in the macaroni and cheese. Bridesmaids would wear yellow, her husband and the best men would be donned in blue. They would have a dance where he would dip her back and she wouldn’t have to worry if she was going to be kissed or not. He just knew to. He would like her love of books and let her read to him every once in awhile even if it was the same story over and over again. He would share his interests with her and they’d live happily ever after. Even during the terrible times. Once or twice the man in dreams of her wedding since this ordeal started had been him.

“Look, let’s just get the simple little one. He’s not going to care.” The only time Gold ever commented on her wardrobe was when he advised her to wear more sensible shoes. 

“If I can do the hair and makeup.” Ruby gave her end of the deal. 

“And a pair of these.” Belle agreed to both. 

She wasn’t thinking about anything else other than how glad she and Gold didn’t decide to play up the being-in-love thing and write their own vows. Saying how much he had changed her life and how she didn’t know how not to love him wasn’t something she was ready to say for the first time in front of everybody. Belle saw Rum in every person back at New York, but there wasn’t a trace of him here. He was the equivalent of an imaginary friend that only came about when she needed comforting. Here she was, the day of her wedding to him, completely terrified. 

Yet he was gone.

And he stayed gone.

Six hours of getting ready later, Belle had walked down the little pathway alone thinking he was just running late. Ruby was on one side of Archie Hopper and David Nolan on the other side. Keith Nottingham was in the seat opposite of Regina Mills and Jefferson. Belle hadn’t known they were there until later when she was picturing this moment with tears like a river in her throat. She stood alone for twenty minutes, the phrase _he’ll be here!_ a prayer of consistent thrones evading her throat. Ashley took her fiance’s hand as Archie closed his book. With an unwavering, adamant face to be the strong hero at the end of this story, Belle licked her lips and addressed the crowd.

Explaining that the wedding was a sham and that Mr Gold had only proposed to keep his assistant was easy. Nobody seemed shock that it was a bargain that tied Belle and Gold together by red string through the ribs. She shook Ruby off and told Keith he was taking her to the airport. Belle got in the car before anybody else could chase after and tell her this was a mistake. Her lead foot hit the gas and she sped away to Granny’s Bed and Breakfast. Her stone wall chest kept the ocean back until she parked the car. She hit the wheel, she tossed her bouquet at the window shield, she pulled the veil off her head and cried. 

The best kept secret Mr Gold ever held was one that everyone except Belle French had chosen to accept. He was a terrible person who never cared who he hurt. He twisted words of sweet affection into painful memories. His plan all along had probably been this. Convince the girl that they could be together. Give her a story that rivaled every book she’d ever read. Let her feel like she was constantly in the falling in love montage. Leave her no choice but to stay in Australia. Create no trace except for the damn fixed teacup with a still noticeable hairline fracture on her bed. Make her want to see the monster again. Make it impossible for her to feel any hate. Make her love, but never confess so it won’t be real.


	12. the proposal

Four days had gone by after Gold left Belle alone in Australia. Neal and Gold were in the middle of cleaning out Belle’s office, both figuring that she wasn’t going to return. The two of them did not say a word to each other about what happened with her. The lack of Belle dimmed Gold’s fire immensely, but having his son back helped. People in the building still private messaged each other when ‘it was coming’. They spread rumors that Gold had killed Belle and Neal Cassidy was a hostage after seeing the murder of Regina Mills and Jefferson who hadn’t returned as well yet. Everything was the same. The pain that something was missing was the same. 

Gold struggled in carrying a box out of Belle’s office and dropped it at a pair of silver, almost glass looking, heels. Beautiful legs led up to a white dress that stopped just above knees. Arms were crossed over a chest, a ring still on one finger. The face was visibly exhausted beneath the cried off makeup, but hers. Belle was nothing but completely annoyed standing in front of Regina and Jefferson who were smiling proudly. Neal came out after several people didn’t help his father lift the box. Every person in a cubicle craned their necks to witness the event that was about to unfold between their boss and the one that came back from the dead.

“Have that sent to this address so she can get back to Australia. Belle-”

“Gold.”

“-I told you that we’d have everything sent back to Australia. You didn’t have to come all the way here.” 

“Gold!” She yelled at him, having never done so with such anger. “I have less than twenty four hours before I have to leave the country, so-”

“I know, that’s why we were-”

“Stop talking! You are going to listen to me right now, do you understand.” She stepped forward, narrowing her eyes. He stood a few inches taller, but that height difference did not work to soften the blows she was fixing to sling his way. 

“Three days ago I was standing at the very small ceremony in the blazing Australian heat so you didn’t have to be overwhelmed by the amount of people that understandably really don’t like you and want you to be poisoned.”

“That’s-”

“Yeah, I told you to listen.” Rum placed a hand on the one holding his cane and closed his mouth. “None of this was supposed to mean anything. Not you asking me at Granny’s or going to the beach or us not spending a night sleeping away from each other or when you told me about your family.” She cast a hopefully secret glance towards Neal who hadn’t moved. “I was standing groom-less for twenty minutes because I believed in you. You can imagine my disappointment as I stand here, still believing in you. I know why you did this.” 

“Is that right, dearie?” Rum tried sounding intimidating, but it came out a whisper. She stepped closer until they were not even separated by the wind.

“You’re scared that I don’t feel the same way and would leave you all alone. Let me be perfectly clear about something.” She said as she slipped an arm around his neck and caressed his cheek. She smiled feeling him lean half of a half of an inch towards her. 

“You don’t really want to be with me.”

“I do.”

“I’m comfortable this way. You can just leave, it’ll be much easier.”

“I wouldn’t have chased after you for the last four days in my fake wedding dress for easy.” It was just them in the entire world. Only he could hear her, as she him.

Belle pressed her lips to his and remained stagnant until Rum decided one way or the other what he wanted to do with her. She tugged on the lapels of his shirt to show and encourage what she wanted. She held him up so he could lean more on her than his cane as she finally got an actually response. If she hadn’t, she would have completely melted under the potion he contained in his mouth. He tasted nothing like how she thought. Where she imagined elegance and poised, he was hungry for her just as much as only the exploration of his mouth could satiate her thirst. She drew back just to catch her breath and smile in his general direction.

“Yeah! Show him who’s boss, French!” Belle laughed at the crude outburst. She hugged Rum’s neck before he could pull back out of embarrassment.

“Before you make me forget, you’re fired. Here,” Rum reached into his pocket and handed her a pair of keys. “Go to my place and rest. I’ll see you tonight.” Belle turned her inquisitive gaze to Neal who was now talking to Regina and Jefferson at the other end of the room.

“He going to be okay with that?” Her heart jumped to reach his when Rum pecked her lips. “I’ll take that as a yes. Don’t work too hard, Ruby’s wedding gift was more for you than for me.” She fed into her desire for a longer, almost teasingly passionate, kiss. Belle had him almost moaning before she pulled back.

She went to his gaudy ‘salmon’ pink house and made herself comfortable after setting options for her dinner date attire out on the guest bed. Belle had been over ever so often to bring him the most ridiculous of things in the middle of the night. Coffee, takeout, actual home cooked meal from her own house, reports from the office, and absolutely everything else from under the sun. He was a master of getting what he wanted. He could have had her at any moment. He’d certainly had plenty of opportunities and she might have flirted once or twice to put the option out there. She would feel insecure, unattractive to him if she lamented too long on it. Belle nibbled on her bottom lip seeing herself in the full sized mirror. Perhaps this was a bit too much. The door opened downstairs. It was now or never.

Belle scaled the staircase in her wedding heels, a sheer yellow negligee, her hair curled and pinned back, and her makeup lightly done. One of his over sized robes hung loose around her body and trailed back on the floor. The smell of chicken Parmesan played in the air and she’d already popped open a bottle of white wine. She had burgers and ice tea on standby if this wasn’t alright. She wanted everything to be like they had gotten married and this was their first night, at home, as a married couple. Just to pretend that she didn’t have to return to Australia in twenty four hours. Gold standing in front of the door in a blue suit staring back at her floating towards him blossomed her love.

“Hello, Mr Gold.” She greeted, taking his hand in hers. Belle lead him towards the kitchen to show off what she’d been doing in his house.

“Hello, Ms French. Is this from Ruby?” He came up to hook an arm around her waist from behind. A hand splayed on her stomach. She leaned her head back and smiled. 

“It was indeed, back when she thought we were actually engaged and she thought I slept with someone quite regularly. Are you hungry?”

“Starving, dearie.” Rum began kissing her neck. The hand on her stomach slipped down, lower and lower. She nearly collapsed on the floor when he withdrew. 

“Must I be explicit when I tell you what I want?” She laughed off, straightening herself.

“Not until bed. I can’t exactly,” he motioned towards the cane. “Here.” She didn’t need a reason why he didn’t want to, but nodded in understanding for his sake. “Come.”

Ignoring the very easy innuendo, Belle followed Rum into the living room where he sat her down on the sofa and placed himself on the ottoman with her help. He took her hands and started a new deal with her. There wasn’t anyone that knew him better, nor would there be. Baelfire had given the blessing after coming to terms with the fact that what his father had done for Belle was out of love and companionship. Any kind of human relationship outside Baelfire was a first in fourteen years. Baelfire’s condition of attempting to forgive Rum was for Mr Gold to drop everything and come back to America. This had been just to see if he would. Belle promised she understood. It would take a lot and then some for Moe to have her forgiveness. She was a little proud of Rum for doing what a father should. He wanted Bae back in his life and had done whatever it took. Elated to hear this, Rum asked Belle to marry him.

Gold had gone down to the law offices in charge of immigration and fought with them for the last six hours. He had signed a wedding certificate and forged Belle’s signature. She wasn’t as thrilled with that, but knew she would have were it presented in front of her again. Everything was taken care of and in a few weeks her green card would be under review again. They would meet with Keith Nottingham to answer all of the questions they definitely knew about each other after studying it at the beach. After that, they could live happily ever after. To celebrate, Belle tugged on his collar. They had a honeymoon to attend to. Dinner grew cold and the wine remained uncorked, but neither cared. 

At seven-fifteen a week later, Gold had returned to work and Belle was still under the impression she was unemployed. They spent their nights making love to each other and every morning before he went in to work reading together when he had the time. He was still trying to find the balance between her and Neal and did his best to spend equal mornings with them. She woke up completely undressed and wrapped Rum’s robe around her shoulders to parade around in. She showered, made the bed, and found a key on the end table by his side of the bed. It was labeled library on one side and the address on the other. Belle knew it was to the one across from her old apartment, but hadn’t the slightest idea as to why Rum would have or give her the key to it. She was never under the impression that they needed any help. Belle quickly got dressed and hurried down to the establishment. 

Belle walked in and found a note waiting for her at the front desk.

_Dear Mrs Gold._

_You are the most wonderful wife I could have possibly asked for. I am completely enraptured in the beauty and kindness you have always shown me. You will always be safe from the law here. Consider this library my wedding gift to you. I know you will enjoy it and forget your time at Gold Incorporated that required you to deny the citizens of Storyboroke what they need most. You are a kind soul, untampered with by the beastly side of your husband. I hope you love your new work._

_All my love._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the end. thank you for reading this! it honest to goodness means the world to me. i have plans for a few more fics, but i am open to suggestions of oneshots. thank you for all the encouragement on this story. have a wonderful day x

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! check out my tumblr (sunlitflowers) for news on when these are being updated.


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